Pureora Forest - Totara Walk

In the King Country, not far from Maniaia (Bennydale) is a gravel road, Mangaokewa. The NZ walking trail Te Araroa comes along here, and this waterfall is magnificent. Such a threatening boulder.

The Totara walk, at the start of the Timber Trail, situated in the Pureora Forest village, is 1 km round.

Plenty of Totara, Rimu, Matai and other native trees along the walk.

Tui and fantails flittered around, as well as a raucous group of Kaka screeching in the forest canopy.

Take your time to listen to all the birds, and watch the Kereru and Kaka fly overhead.

We saw at least 4 Toutouwai (Robin).  Super friendly birds, with an amazing song.

Do you like moss? There is plenty of it on this trail, especially my favourite, Umbrella moss.

A toutouwai accompanied us to the end of the trail.

When we stopped for lunch, this beetle joined us. It's not an ant, it's a blue flower longhorn battle.  Fingernail for scale.

Aoraki Mt Cook village to Tekapo

After walking the Hooker Valley, we left Aoraki Mt Cook village, and drove back around Lake Pukaki, towards Tekapo. I was hoping to get to Fairlie before the pie shop closed.

Stunning day, and the walk was easy.  This is a beautiful place, and easy access to visit.  Lake Pukaki still looks fake though.

Lake Pukaki and Aoraki Mt Cook.

Looking across Lake Pukaki towards Tekapo

Looking south over Lake Tekapo towards Twizel

Children fishing for salmon in the Tekapo canal.

Southern Alps in the distance, Tekapo canal with salmon splash.

Hooker Valley Aoraki Mt Cook

 

The Hooker Valley walk is 10km return, and takes about 3 hours.  The early morning start had frost in the valley, and I forgot my beanie, so I had cold ears. My gloves kept my hands warm.

The Mueller glacier is hidden behind the Sealy range.  

Looking down the valley, with the Mueller lake in the foreground. The glaciers carved this valley thousands of years ago. Sebastopol Peak has it's front cut off, just like Yosemite in the USA.

Frosty fingers on the valley plants.

Mt Sefton in the background.  We saw an avalanche a few minutes later come down the left side of Mt Sefton and crash over into the Mueller Lake.

The second swing bridge over the Hooker river.

Looking up the Hooker Valley to Aoraki Mt Cook.

Aoraki Mt Cook with no clouds to pierce today.

It's an easy gentle walk up the Hooker Valley. Being so early in the morning, there are not many other hikers about.

We stopped and watch the sun come over the Kirikirikatata ranges.

With the sun in the valley, it warmed up fast, and my ears thawed out.

At the third swing bridge looking back towards Mt Olivier, and the Mueller Glacier.

Nearly there, just one small hill to climb.

Hooker Lake, Hooker glacier, and Aoraki Mt Cook.

The sun shines on Aoraki's peak.

This duck was looking for food. Fattest wild duck I have seen. I guess most walkers give him some food.

So many icebergs. We spent a while exploring the Hooker Lake edge, and watching the icebergs.

Hooker glacier in background with ice bergs.

Hooker glacier in background with reflected icebergs.

Lake reflections and icebergs.

Iceberg reflections on Hooker Lake.

Hooker Glacier.

On our return, we stopped at the Stream shelter for a bite to eat, and to listen to the cracks, groans, and crashes of the glaciers and avalanches.  We spent about 5 hours walking the trail and explore the lakes.

We still had time to drive back to Geraldine before it got dark.

Glentanner Aoraki Mt Cook

Accommodation is at a premium in the Aoraki Mt Cook area. We chose to stay at the Glentanner motor camp.  We walked down to the Tasman river from the camp.

Extremely privilege to see  a tūturiwhatu/ banded dotterel along the shore of the Tasman river.

A quick dinner of pasta and sauce with a salad made in the communal kitchen, and then we got to watch the sun set on Aoraki Mt Cook.

The night was crisp and the sky clear, so I took the opportunity to capture some stars.

 

Haupapa Tasman Lake, glacier, and ice bergs

The short walk from the carpark to the Tasman Lake lookout is steep, and has about 300 steps to climb up.

Those grey cliffs around the edge of the lake are 100+ m  high. The Haupapa Tasman glacier is at the end of the lake. There are also ice bergs in the lake, that have broken off the glacier.

Haupapa Tasman glacier.  Murchison glacier goes off into the right sided valley.

Looking down the Tasman river valley.  This was carved by the glacier over hundred of thousands of years.

About a half hour walk takes us to the start of the Tasman river, and up close to some icebergs.